Juan Williams tells Bill O'Reilly that travelers in Muslim garb on his flights make him "nervous."
(ThinkProgress2)

(Newser)
–
NPR has axed commentator Juan Williams after he said that Muslims on his airline flights make him "nervous." Williams comments are "inconsistent with our editorial standards," said a statement from NPR. Williams made his remarks on Fox's The O'Reilly Factor as he discussed attitudes toward "political correctness" and how they "could lead to some kind of paralysis where you don't address reality." He volunteered that whenever he sees someone in Muslim garb boarding his flight "I think, you know, they are identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims. I get worried. I get nervous."

There was no immediate response from Williams, who is African American and has written extensively on the civil rights movement and race, notes the Los Angeles Times. CNN recently fired newscaster Rick Sanchez after he called Daily Show host Jon Stewart a bigot and claimed TV was heavily influenced by Jews.

Just to clarify - was Mr. Williams let go because of his holding a disregard for the dignity and right of other individuals to dress and present themselves as they please, because of his proclaiming that disregard on the air, or because of the inescapable conclusion that if he finds people dressed in Muslim garb frightening, he is guilty of fallacious reasoning and therefore clearly not all that bright?

Galut1

Oct 21, 2010 11:54 PM CDT

NPRs rules may allow them to fire Juan ... many of the news outlets have ground rules that buries truth if it ruffles the feathers of muslims scewing a truth the public needs to know. let the truth hang out there ! it is time to put pressure on moderate muslims to rein in the radicals... I don't always agree with Juan ,But I think he spoke what many folks have concerns about... politcal correctness is the enemy of truth whether it be liberal PC or conservitive PC

Snowleopard

Oct 21, 2010 8:23 PM CDT

what would have been the reaction from Juan if someone said something similar about a black person?